Behind the Facade
by Sweet Chilly
Summary: A Yank and newcomer to Hogwarts, Chilly Richardson is determined to make her new life work for her. But little does she know that this change of scenery will affect her life and finally reveal what is locked behind the facade she lives in.
1. Chapter 1

.  
  
Sunlight streaming through a window awakened me, softly whispering that it was morning. It filled my large room with warmth and lightly caressed my face as I slowly stirred from my dream.  
"Not now," I murmured as I squinted my eyes shut. "Leave me alone."  
My bed was soft and warm. I was too comfortable to wake up already.  
Then the birds began to sing outside of my window. I knew it was time to wake up. Instead of leaving my bed, I curled into a ball and tried to capture what remained of my dream. I had been walking along the beach, listening to the song of the ocean and the crying of seagulls. The cold water of the sea washed around my feet and I looked up at the sky to gaze at the still remaining moon.  
I must be homesick, I thought. Home.... it definitely isn't here.  
Which was another reason I didn't want to get out of bed. If I woke up, I knew that I would have to face the world outside my room. I would have to face reality and accept it. Deep in my heart, I didn't want to.  
But why shouldn't home be here? Mom grew up here, after all. This is the place. the country that she grew up in. It's her past and my future.  
But still. it isn't home.  
An unwanted tear flowed down my cheek. My world had crumbled almost three months ago when my father had said, "Pack up your things. We're moving." The biggest change in my entire life and my father had just been so casual about it as if he were saying, "Clean your room."  
I was more confused than I had ever been in my life. But as I was climbing the stairs to my room, the realization came to me. We were moving... because of me.  
A sob escaped my throat and I tried to hold back the rest of my tears. I knew that I couldn't be responsible. Somehow, this voice in my head kept telling me, "This is all your fault. You were the reason that you had to move to the other side of the ocean, away from America. You're the reason that your father is 'starting over' in England."  
"No, I'm not!" I protested as I sat up in bed. "I'm going to prove you wrong!"  
Suddenly, there was a sharp knocking on my door. It was soft at first, but then gradually grew louder with impatience.  
"Chilly, are you talking to your cat again?" my older brother, Chris asked through the door.  
"No." I replied softly as I threw the covers off my small body.  
"Good. Now, get up!"  
"I don't want to!" I yelled back. "I wanna stay in bed all day."  
I heard his exasperated sigh as he walked off down the hallway.  
My mind suddenly became cluttered with reasonable explanations about my sudden change of residence. They included the fact that my father had often said that it would be good for me to study abroad somewhere during my years of taking N.E.W.T. classes. They also included thoughts that my father might have gotten fired or maybe he was wanted in the United States for a crime.  
I was interrupted yet again by a loud knocking on the door to my privacy.  
"Chilly, Dad wants to say good bye before he leaves for work!" Chris yelled through the door.  
"Coming!" I replied as I fell out of bed. I tripped over my trunk and several stuffed animals as I made my way to my closet.  
Hmm. My blue robe was missing.  
I looked around my room for my robe. It was somewhat difficult, since my room was cluttered with laundry (both dirty and clean), random stuffed animals, and the like. I could barely see the blue carpet on the floor and I knew I had a desk in here somewhere.  
My dresser was towards the back of the large room. Maybe I put it there. I walked over to it and pulled off a few tee shirts and shorts before finally finding my blue robe.  
As I put it on, I stared at my reflection in the mirror. I made a face at it, partially because my brown hair was sticking up in all directions and the Crayola red tips were starting to fade. I examined my face and noticed my skin tone, which was like a year round tan, thanks to my Cuban, African-American, and Irish ancestors. What the Irish gave me, I still don't know yet, but I was suspecting that they were the reason how I sunburn on my nose easily.  
"Chilly! What's taking so long?" Chris was becoming impatient, as usual.  
I sighed and made my way to my door, stepping over several boxes I hadn't unpacked.  
My eighteen-year-old brother stood there, with a slight frown on his face. Standing next to him, I realized just how short I really was. He was almost six feet tall and what was I? Five foot one.  
"I'm glad you decided to grace me with your presence," he said.  
My eyes moved up and down, examining him. He was wearing a black shirt with blue jeans and his tan skin seemed to glow. His hair was slightly spiky, and with that smirk on his face, he looked like he had leapt out of one of my magazines.  
"Are you done with your examination?" Chris asked, with a slight smirk on his face that suggested that he knew he looked good.  
"You think you're so sexy," I replied as I rolled my eyes.  
"That's right. I'm damn sexy and don't you forget it." He ruffled my hair and I smacked his hand away. I knew he was making it worse.  
"Who're you trying to impress today?" I asked as I shut my door behind me.  
"No one in particular," Chris said slyly.  
I rolled my eyes again, which was becoming a frequent custom. I wrapped my robe tightly around me and made my way down the large spiral staircase.  
My father, Jon Richardson, stood next to the large green front door, checking his watch every now and then. He was almost identical to my brother, except Chris actually got off his butt and went to the gym.  
I looked at him and realized how much the three of us had in common. We all had large brown eyes and the habit of getting into trouble, which my father would be in soon, because he was late for work.  
"Hey, Dad," I greeted. "Hope they don't give you too much trouble at the office."  
My father had gotten a job and England's Ministry of Magic. He is in the Department of Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. He took the job long before we even got to England. Lately, people at the office were giving him trouble because he is so freaking lazy.  
"Honey, we've been here for almost three months. I doubt anyone's going to give me trouble." He sighed as he checked his watch yet again. "Trust me, I'm not as lazy as you think I am."  
"Sure," I remarked, rolling my eyes.  
"Where's your brother?" Dad asked.  
"He was right behind me..." I cleared my throat. "CHRIS!"  
At that instant, Chris slid down the windy banister, not pausing to jump off at the very end. He landed in front of me.  
"Yes, your highness?" he asked and bowed.  
"What have you been doing?" I asked.  
"Gelling my hair some more," Chris replied.  
"It's time to go, Chris." There was a loud jingling noise as Dad pulled out his car keys out of his pocket.  
"Why can't we Apparate like any other normal wizard?" Chris asked.  
"Because you failed the test again for the fifth time," Dad reminded.  
I slapped Chris upside the head, as if to say, "Yeah, stupid."  
"Where are you taking Chris? He doesn't have a job," I pointed out.  
"I will soon. I have an interview today," Chris said proudly.  
"Maybe you can keep the job this time," I mumbled.  
"What was that?" asked Chris.  
"All right now, Chilly. Don't burn the house down while we're gone. And don't forget to shower sometime today." My father kissed the top of my head. "See you around five. That is, if another fight involving an angered hippogriff doesn't happen again. Then I'll see you around seven."  
"Later, squirt," Chris said as they left.  
I shut the door behind them. I spun around, walked down a long narrow hallway, and pushed the door open to the sunny kitchen.  
"What should I have for breakfast?" I asked myself as I fished through the cabinets. "Health bars or unnecessary large amounts of sugar?"  
I pulled some Coco Puffs out of the cabinet and poured some into a large bowl used for mixing.  
A small black cat walked into the kitchen and jumped up on the counter. He walked around in a circle and then curled himself into a ball.  
"Hello, Friday," I greeted.  
I opened a cabinet and pulled out his cap nip. As I poured it into a small bowl, he came running towards me and was probably thinking "FOOD!"  
  
A smile came across my face and I sat down at the table to eat my bowl of sugary goodness.  
"It's about time you fed me," Friday suddenly said, looking at me strangely.  
"Stop complaining," I replied as I looked at this morning's edition of the Daily Prophet.  
"You know," Friday went on as he leapt onto the table, "ancient Egyptians worshiped cats. They wouldn't have forgotten to take care of them."  
"Lo ciento, but would you stop comparing me to the Egyptians?" I asked as I scratched his head. "Besides, I didn't forget to feed you. I just woke up later than usual."  
Friday purred contently. "Well. I suppose I can forgive you."  
"You'd better or I won't let you go outside and stalk the squirrels like you usually do."  
  
I sat on my bed, flipping through a large book. It was a scrapbook I made sometime before the move to England and I cherished it. It was full of pictures of my family and friends from America.  
Friday jumped onto my bed and sat in his usual spot, next to me with his head on my pillow.  
"Hey, Friday," I said as I flipped to another page in the scrapbook.  
Pictures of a small, smiling woman with short brown hair and bright blue eyes covered the next few pages. There was not a single picture where she was looking sad or angry. She was always happy.  
"Mom..." I mumbled. I touched the face of the woman, smiling and waving.  
It still surprised me about how much I missed her. She died when I was just a kid, after all. Even though I could barely remember her, I still love her and miss her. When she was taken away from me, it was as if I it had made this hole in my heart that never would close up.  
I closed my scrapbook and pet Friday on the head. It didn't seem fair that I had to move and leave all of these people behind.  
"Are you feeling homesick again?" Friday asked politely as he rubbed his head against my arm.  
"Just a little." I hopped off my canopy bed and placed the scrapbook back onto my bookshelf.  
"I hope you aren't going to cry again."  
"I do not cry!" I insisted.  
"Sure you do. Remember that one Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode where she killed Angel?"  
"I wasn't crying!"  
"Yes you were!"  
I threw a stuffed bear at him. "I was not! What do you know, anyway? You're just a stupid cat."  
"Excuse me, but I am one of the most intelligent creatures on Earth." Friday began to groom himself. "Do you remember that book you were reading? Cats were wizards in that book and extremely intelligent."  
"That was pure fiction, and you know it."  
"I don't even understand why you take such a liking to Muggle fantasy."  
There was a sudden sharp knocking at my door.  
"Chilly!" Chris yelled. "Are you arguing with the cat again?"  
"No!" I yelled back. "He's arguing with me!"  
Friday and I usually get along well, but lately we have been arguing over the stupidest things. Dad and Chris are extremely confused about it, especially since they can't understand what we are fighting about. That's probably due to the fact that I'm the only one that can understand Friday.  
Chris opened the door to my room and made a face.  
"Like your room is any better," I said as I closed my scrapbook and tucked it under my bed. "At least I don't have Playboys on my wall. You're lucky I don't tell Dad that what he thinks are racing posters are really your blonde lovers-"  
"You're lucky that I don't tell him about the portal that you're trying to create in your closet to take you back to America," Chris snapped.  
Friday, sensing the tension, jumped off the bed and scampered out of the room.  
"By the way, how was the interview?" I asked Chris as he flipped through one of my video game magazines on my desk.  
"I think I might have gotten the job," he replied. "I think I wooed her with my American charms."  
"What American charms?" I asked as I rolled my eyes.  
"You know, Chilly, one day you're going to roll your eyes so far back into your head that they're going to get stuck."  
"I hope that's the day those Playboys finally make you go blind."  
"What's THAT supposed to mean?"  
"What do you think it means? It's a wonder that those headlights of theirs don't make you go blind."  
"At least they HAVE something!"  
"Oh, that's it you pervert!" I exclaimed as I fished through my covers for my wand.  
"Uh, uh, uh," Chris said, shaking his finger. "You can't use magic before school starts, remember?"  
I glared at him and chucked a pillow straight at his pretty-boy face. 


	2. Chapter 2

I gazed out my window, watching a couple of gnomes try to climb the fence into my neighbor's backyard in fascination. It had been awhile since I had seen a gnome. They aren't usually found in the States.  
  
I sighed as I watched those pathetic creatures. I didn't feel like going shopping today. Sure, I love shopping like any other girl on this planet. It's just that I would be shopping with my father, and he absolutely hates to shop. He drives me insane when he starts complaining that I'm taking too long. Later on, he and Chris usually ditch me to go to a sports bar and watch football. I really don't understand why they like football so much. It's too complicated for me to understand.  
  
"Chilly! It's time to leave!" my father shouted from the bottom of the windy staircase as I was putting my hair up into double buns.  
  
Damn. "I'm coming!" I grabbed my red messenger bag and ran down the stairway to reach him in the foyer.  
  
Let's hurry so we can beat the back-to-school rush," Dad said as he fished in his pockets for his keys.  
  
"Isn't Chris coming?" I asked, suddenly noticing that he wasn't in the foyer.  
  
"Huh? No, he isn't. What did he say… he said that he'd rather have his head chewed off by a Manticore than ride in the same car as you," he replied.  
  
I frowned. "I didn't do anything to him."  
  
"Don't you remember? You turned nearly all of his video games into spiders."  
  
"So? He turned my Nintendo into a centipede."  
  
Dad shook his head as he finally pulled out his keys. "I don't know why I spoil the two of you with such things."  
  
"It's too late for that now. I can't live without video games," I said as I opened the door and walked out. "Which is why I don't see the point of sending me away to Hogwarts."  
  
"We've been over this, Chilly," my father said, becoming aggravated. "I know this isn't your old school back home, but get used to it. You should be happy that you are going to such a great school. Your mother went there, you know."  
  
I stopped dead in my tracks. "I know."  
  
I looked over to my left and saw our neighbor, Mr. McFoogle, out in his lawn, shaking his head.  
  
"Good morning Mr. McFoogle! How goes?" my father asked him.  
  
"Not so good, Mr. Richardson," Mr. McFoogle replied in a strong British accent. "The gnomes are attacking my plants again. Look what they did to my precious Mandrakes!"  
  
"I would de-gnome your garden for you again, but I'm going shopping," I said.   
  
"That's too bad," Mr. McFoogle said.   
  
"Maybe when we get back. It depends on if it's dark or not." I smiled. It would be my usual Knut-per-gnome deal.  
  
Dad walked by me and opened the door to his crappy little station wagon. "Come on, now. I haven't got all day."  
  
I pouted and slumped into a seat. Then I realized that I was sitting in front of the steering wheel. You would think that after three months, I would get used to this sort of thing. I slid over, buckled my seat belt, and pouted some more.  
  
"Stop that, now," Dad said as we pulled out of the driveway. "You're going and that's final."  
  
I threw my arms in the air in aggravation. "Fine. Do you mind if I turn on the radio?"  
  
"Go ahead," Dad replied as he rolled down the windows. "God, is it always this hot in here?"  
  
"Pretty much." I turned the knob to the right until I found a station that was playing rock music. Then I turned the volume level up.  
  
"Honestly, Chilly. Yesterday, it was techno pop. Today, it is rock music. What's tomorrow?"  
  
"Rap," I replied and smiled. "What can I say? I like variety."  
  
"Chilly, do you honestly think there are any rap stations here?"  
  
"Why wouldn't there be?"  
  
My father shook his head. He's just having trouble appreciating other types of music. "Anyway, I can't shop with you today," Dad said.  
  
"Really? Why not?" I asked, trying to sound disappointed.  
  
"There's this huge case at the office I have to take care of," he replied. "A couple of Muggles saw several baby dragons in someone's backyard just before their hedge was lighted on fire by their sneezes. We have to file the case, fine the wizards, place Memory Charms on the Muggles… it's hectic. I'm sorry, I just can't go."  
  
"Oh well," I said as I shrugged. "A disappointment that you can't see Diagon Alley, huh?"  
  
"I suppose. Anyway, the most I know is how to get to the Leaky Cauldron. I don't know where to go after that. You're on your own."  
  
"Gee, that's great…" I mumbled.  
  
"Here we are. The Leaky Cauldron," Dad said as he pulled up in front.   
  
"This is it?" I asked.   
  
It was a small little pub that was dark and slightly creepy looking on the outside. I smiled at the fact that passing Muggles didn't even notice it was there. Their eyes slid from one shop to the next.  
  
"You'd think that they'd have a Starbucks or something as the entrance but NO it's a creepy looking pub…" I mumbled.  
  
"I'll pick you up around five o'clock," Dad said. "If you get lost, for Heaven's sake, just ask for directions. I know how much you like to wander and how you ARE my child…"  
  
I smiled. "See you later," I said as I got out of the station wagon.   
  
I watched my Dad drive away and then headed towards the little pub.  
  
A small bell dinged as I entered. I saw a few heads turn in my direction for a brief moment, and then steadily return to what they had been doing.  
  
The light was dim inside the pub. I squinted through the slight darkness and then headed over to the bar, where a toothless bartender was wiping out a glass with a cloth.  
  
"Do you serve butterbeer here?" I asked him.  
  
He smiled and nodded. A minute later, he pulled out a small bottle of butterbeer.   
  
"Five Knuts, please," he said.  
  
I pulled out some money from my messenger bag and placed it in his hands.   
  
I guzzled down the butterbeer and threw the bottle away in the trashcan. As I looked around the pub for the door to the yard, I felt a slight pressure rise in my stomach. Then a couple of hiccups escaped my mouth.  
  
"Oh, crap," I mumbled as I looked frantically around.   
  
I hiccupped again and this time, my messenger bag began to float by my side. I grabbed it from the air and held it to my side. I saw a door towards the back of the pub and ran there before anyone could notice that there were several forks floating about in the air.  
  
I pushed the door open and faced a rather small yard. There was a brick wall with a trashcan and a bunch of weeds. That was it. No entrance to Diagon Alley. Just a wall.  
  
I stared at the wall in confusion. My father had not told me how to get to Diagon Alley, but I figured it would be easy. Stupid wizards have to be so overprotective-  
  
I hiccupped again and the lids on the trashcans began to float in mid-air. I ran over to them and pushed them back into place.  
  
Suddenly, a rather small wizard pushed past me and whipped out his wand as he mumbled under his breath about being late. He tapped one of the bricks on the wall and Diagon Alley slowly appeared before me.  
  
The wizard put his wand away and disappeared into the large crowd that crammed the small street.   
  
"Nice," I remarked as I slipped through the entranceway. Shops were lined up on both sides of the street and the cobble stone street seemed to stretch a long way.   
  
I walked slowly down the street, admiring the smiling faces of the many shoppers around me. It was amazing how being here could make you so happy…  
  
I hiccupped again and this time, the small wizard who had rushed past me was suddenly levitating in mid-air.  
  
"Oh, crap," I mumbled as I hurried through the crowd to him. The other people must have been to heavy to levitate.  
  
The little man was twisting and squirming in mid air. To add to that, the poor thing was squealing at the top of his lungs to be let down before he cursed anyone.  
  
"I am SO sorry," I explained as I grabbed his arm and tried to ease him back down to the ground.  
  
"You did this to me?" he asked in a high British accent as he continued squirming.  
  
"Yes, I did, but it was an accident! If you would just stop squealing-"  
  
"Let go of me, you stupid Yank! I don't need your help!"  
  
I let go of his arm, slightly hurt and eased away from him. Some people are just so rude… I watched in amusement as the man tried to dive towards the street.  
  
I spotted a joke shop called Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes in the corner of my eye and smiled with glee. Joke shops were among my favorite stores in the wizarding world. I pushed through the crowd of people and made my way over to the store.  
  
The store was a little bit crowded, mostly with people my age who just love a good joke. There were at least two floors and aisles upon aisles of pranks, jokes, and candies that made you involuntarily twitch.  
  
It was hard to decide what item I should buy, mainly because I wanted to spend most of my money on new robes. I finally decided on a pack of stink pellets and made my way to the cashier.  
  
I had to wait in a rather long line to pay for my stink pellets. When I reached the front, two redheaded twins stood there, smiling broadly. I placed the package of stink pellets on the counter.  
  
"Nice choice," said one of the twins. "Three Sickles please."  
  
I pulled three Sickles out of my bag and handed it to the cashier.  
  
"Thank you. Come again."  
  
I hiccupped and the Sickles rose out of his hands and floated above his head.   
  
"Uh… sorry… too much butterbeer," I said.  
  
I smiled and quickly left the store. I pulled out my school supply list out of my red messenger bag and looked it over.   
  
"Standard Book of Spells, Year Five… blah, blah, blah… potion ingredients… blah, blah…" I sighed and decided to head to the bookstore first. That is, if I could find it…  
  
I put the list away in my bag and headed in a random direction. After awhile, I couldn't figure out where I was going, but I had at least gotten rid of my hiccups. Unfortunately for me, that didn't' happen until several small witches were suddenly levitating after a rather large hiccup. I then became frustrated because all I could see was the ground and I couldn't see above anyone, because of my height.   
  
I shook my head, cursing the fact that I just barely made it to five feet.   
  
"Excuse me," I said, tapping the shoulder of a man next to me. "Where is the bookstore?"  
  
He looked around to see who was talking to him. Then he finally stared down at me. "Flourish and Blotts is just a bit down the street. It will be on your right."  
  
"Thanks," I replied and walked swiftly away.   
  
I found the store and sighed in relief. I opened the door and a small bell chimed pleasantly.   
  
As I wandered around the store, I noticed that a boy around my age was staring at me. I made a face at him and continued my expedition for my schoolbooks.  
  
I became frustrated with the aisle I was in, because they had run out of one of my books. Maybe it was in another aisle…   
  
I turned the corner and suddenly collided with someone who was holding a large stack of books. I landed on the floor and my books were spread out around me.  
  
"Sorry," he apologized, looking a bit embarrassed. I realized that he was the same boy who was staring at me. He had jet-black hair and he adjusted his round glasses, which were dangling off his nose. His green eyes were like round emeralds.  
  
I felt my face turn red as I struggled to stand up.  
  
"Here," he said, offering me his hand. "Let me help you up."  
  
I hesitated for a moment and then took his head. I felt a sudden lurch in my stomach as the room around me began to spin, ever so slowly. My eyes became foggy and I could barely see.  
  
Suddenly, my vision was yet again clear. Except… I was not in the store anymore.  
  
I could hear faint voices talking to me, so I had to be in the store still. As soon as I realized what was happening, I felt panic rise within me.  
  
A bright light flashed before my eyes and I was unexpectedly traveling the speed of light. Images flooded around me, all of the same person. This boy… he had suffered greatly…  
  
Then there was a single image in front of me. He was standing alone in what looked like a dungeon. A green light flashed and I could hear someone screaming-  
  
The room stopped spinning and I could see normally again. I tried to cover a scream as I staggered backwards into a bookshelf. Books fell around me and made a loud thumping sound as they hit the floor.  
  
A rather large hiccup exploded from my throat and the books suddenly began to float in mid air. Several more hiccups escaped from my mouth and several more books suddenly shot off the shelves.   
  
I rubbed my head and saw the clerk and the boy looking down at me. I smiled sheepishly.  
  
"Sorry. I'm really sorry," I apologized as I collected my books from the mess I made. "I really didn't mean to lose my balance like that… and I really didn't mean to levitate all of those books… did I mention that I'm sorry?"  
  
The clerk shook his head, his face becoming red with anger. Then he cracked. "YOU STUPID AMERICAN! Look what you've done! This is going to take FOREVER to clean up!"  
  
"I said I was sorry!" I exclaimed.  
  
The boy with glasses continued staring at me, his bright eyes showing emotion that I could not distinguish between shock and slight embarrassment.  
  
"Oh, God…" I said. "How embarrassing…"  
  
He then frowned and turned around to the clerk. "Bloody hell, did you not hear that she said she was sorry? It was an accident! Haven't you accidentally levitated or blown up anything in your miserable life?! You could at least have the decency to forgive her and let her help you clean this up!"  
  
I hiccupped again and the books came crashing to the floor.  
  
The clerk shook his head. "I don't need any of her bloody help. She's caused enough trouble already." He then turned to me. "Take your books and leave!"  
  
The clerk turned and began picking up his precious books.  
  
"Are you okay?" the boy asked me.  
  
"Uh… yeah, I'm fine."  
  
"Here, let me help you pick up your books-"  
  
"No, that's okay. I'll manage," I said quickly as I hurriedly gathered up my things.  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine."  
  
I stood up and raced to the checkout to pay for my books. I felt my cheeks turn crimson and I wanted to get out as soon as possible.  
  
I burst through the door and sprinted down the street. I didn't want the owner to come after me and make me clean up the mess. Above all, I was mortified about what happened. Usually, I don't have premonitions in public places.  
  
"Wait!" I heard someone call.  
  
I spun around and faced the boy from the shop. He was panting wildly and he held out a small item that I realized was my wallet.  
  
"You forgot this," he said.  
  
"Oh! Thank you." I took the wallet and stuffed it into my messenger bag. I forced myself to smile. "And thanks for sticking up for me in the store. No one's ever done that for me before."  
  
The boy blushed slightly. "Sure, no problem."  
  
Without warning, I took off down the street as he was asking me for my name. I couldn't stand to look at him anymore. I was too embarrassed.  
  
I suddenly collided with someone and lost my balance. I was ripped from my thoughts and I realized that I was sitting on the cobblestone street.  
  
Two other people were on the ground. They were struggling to put all of their things back into their shopping bags before they were trampled.  
  
"I'm really sorry," I said as I helped them pick up their things. "I wasn't watching where I was going… crap, I've been doing this all afternoon…"  
  
"It's all right, really it is," one of them said to me. As she looked at me, her green eyes widened. "Chilly?"  
  
I took a good look at her. She had short green hair and her skin was very pale. Her nose and cheeks were hidden under light freckles and her face was rather thin. She looked strangely familiar and then it hit me. "Cela?"  
  
"Oh my God!" she exclaimed in an English accent as she hugged me. "It's been forever since we've seen each other."  
  
"Where's Trill?" I asked as she let go of me.  
  
"Right here." A girl with long blonde hair, bright blue eyes, and pale skin sat up and rubbed her head. "That hurt really bad."  
  
"Trill!" I said and hugged her.  
  
"Chilly? Is that you?" Trill asked in an abnormally high voice as she stared at me in confusion. "Whoa, you grew!"  
  
"Thanks for noticing," I said as I let go. I looked at my two cousins happily. "You don't know how happy I am to see you."  
  
"Can we find another place to have a reunion?" Cela asked as she looked around. "We're going to get trampled any minute now."  
  
"Yeah," Trill agreed. "Come on, let's go to the ice cream parlor. It's down the street."  
  
  
  
We sat outside, eating our sundaes at small round table. The umbrella gave us nice cool shade and kept my British cousins from burning.  
  
My cousins were among my best friends in the world. We could tell each other anything. We used to keep in touch more often, but lately, we haven't seen much of each other besides the usual holiday visits. That's how life is when you're separated from your mother's side of the family by an ocean.  
  
"So how is Aunt Geraldine doing?" I asked.  
  
"Mom is doing fine," Cela answered as she took some of Trill's whipped cream.   
  
"About a year ago, she got really, really sick and wound up in the hospital. But she's all right now," Trill said.  
  
"That's terrible," I said, feeling slightly guilty about not talking to my cousins sooner.  
  
"Like Trill said, she's all better now," Cela assured as she stole some more of Trill's whipped cream. "Dad, however, is having a rough time. His company went bankrupt and now he has to do housework and watch our other siblings while Mom is off at the Ministry."  
  
"It's a pity that he's not a wizard," Trill said.  
  
"Trill! Don't say things like that!" Cela scolded.  
  
"Sorry…Anyway, what's been going on with you? Have you had any more premonitions since last time?" Trill questioned.  
  
"Trill, keep your voice down," Cela hissed.   
  
"Sorry," Trill apologized.  
  
I smiled in amusement. I had almost forgotten how different they were. Trill was boisterous and ditzy and Cela was quiet and… more aware of her environment. I believe that is what they call fraternal twins.  
  
"I don't understand what's the big deal," Trill said. "I mean, if you've got this wonderful gift, why hide it?"  
  
"For one thing, it's extremely rare. Another thing is that people will just come flooding in, asking for Chilly's advice about everything," Cela said. "Remember what happened when the family found out? We were so astonished and we asked her about everything."  
  
"I remember," I said quietly. "That was when I still lived in England. Mom literally had to hide me for months away from you guys because I was so overwhelmed."  
  
"And that is why Chilly has not told anyone else about her premonitions besides her family. People will not leave her alone. Do you think that she'd enjoy it being treated like the new Miss Cleo?" Cela concluded.  
  
"I suppose you're right," Trill agreed.  
  
"Hey, I meant to ask you this before. What are you doing in Diagon Alley?" Cela wondered. "More specifically, England. School's about to start, you know."  
  
"Well… my father, Chris, and I moved here," I answered.  
  
Trill's eyes widened. "Really? You… you moved here? Why?"  
  
I looked down. "I don't know…"  
  
"What do you mean? You must have some reason for coming here," said Cela.  
  
I could tell my cousins about anything in the world… this was just the one thing I couldn't tell them.  
  
"I'm sorry, I really don't know. One day, my dad came to me and he was like, 'Pack your stuff. We're moving.'"  
  
"Maybe he was transferred," Trill suggested.  
  
"You know, it's a bit strange how he's never told you why you moved," Cela pointed out.  
  
"I think Trill's right," I said quickly. "I think he was transferred. Besides, he started feeding me this whole bit about how it would be good for me to study abroad someplace during my last few years of school."  
  
Trill looked down at her ice cream. "Hey, did someone take my whipped cream?"  
  
"No, you just ate it first, remember?" Cela 'reminded.'  
  
"Really?" Trill shrugged and shoved more ice cream into her mouth.  
  
Cela and I immediately started giggling.  
  
"Hey, what's so funny?"  
  
  
  
I bided good-bye to my cousins and tried to make my way back to the Leaky Cauldron. I was exhausted from all the shopping and catching up we did. I just wanted to crawl into bed.  
  
I turned and walked down a shadowy street.  
  
"Hmm. I think I got sidetracked somewhere…" I said to myself as I wandered around. "This doesn't look like Diagon Alley anymore."  
  
"You…"   
  
I jumped and looked frantically around me. Did I just hear that?  
  
"Creepy," I whispered.   
  
Suddenly, a man leapt out from the shadows and grabbed my arm. His teeth were yellow with decay and his hair looked like a matted mop. His robes were torn and his feet were bloody and bare.  
  
"Let go of me," I hissed.  
  
"You… you're brimming with power…" he whispered to me.  
  
"Let me go!" I exclaimed, trying to yank my arm free. It was no use. His grip was too strong.  
  
"Pretty, pretty power… everyone wants some…"  
  
"Get off of me!" My voice was becoming high pitched with panic.  
  
"So much power... I feel it rising with your fear…"  
  
"Get off of me, you-"  
  
He raised his hand to silence me. "He is everywhere. Listening… watching… he wants your pretty power…"  
  
I finally yanked my arm free and I sprinted away from him. I felt a strong need to get as far away from this man as possible.  
  
My legs began to feel just like Jell-O and I eventually had to slow down. When I looked up, I found myself back in Diagon Alley. I sighed with relief and leaned against a building to catch my breath.  
  
Shivers went up my spine and I wrapped my jacket around me. I looked up at the sky. It was beginning to get dark.  
  
I shivered as I made my way down the partially deserted street. 


	3. Chapter 3

I looked through my trunk, making sure that I packed everything. I was always prone to forgetting something... but what was it this time?  
  
I shook my head. What was I forgetting? I flicked my pinkish red hari out of my face and searched the room.  
  
My trunk lay open in the middle of the decently cleaned room. I searched through it again to make sure I hadn't forgotten anything. Robes... check...books...check...wand... WAND? Where was my wand?!  
  
Why am I always doing this? I thought. Come on... think... think...  
  
"Chilly! Are you ready to go?" my father yelled.  
  
"NO! I gotta find my wand!" I yelled back.  
  
I serached frantically around my room. I finally found it on my dresser. I grabbed and admired the handiwork briefly. It was made of willow wood and mistletoe. I cherished it deeply, partially because it had belonged to my mother.  
  
I put it gently inside the trunk and sat on the lid. It wasn't closing. After placing Friday's basket on top with me, I finally managed to lock the trunk.  
  
Okay, now I'm ready, I thought, as I made sure that Friday was placed securely in his basket.  
  
"Don't pick on the first years... and don't let anyone pick on you. Remember what I told you about standing up for yourself... but not in an overly violent way... oh! Make sure you always do your homework and that you study instead of sitting around drawing all day... you won't have video games there, so we don't need to worry about that coming in the way of your work...  
  
My father was giving me his annual back-to-school pep talk before I got out of the car. It got tiring after awhile.  
  
"Dad!" I interrupted. "We've been through this before. I know."  
  
"Oh..." My father said and hugged me tightly. "YOu, have fun, okay?"  
  
"Dad..." I said after a few moments. "Dad, let go of me. I can't breathe."  
  
"Oh! Sorry," he apologized, letting me go. "I'm just going to miss you."  
  
"I"m going to miss you too," I admitted as I opened the car door. "But please, DON'T MAKE ME GO!"  
  
"It's alright, Chilly. It's not like there's a language barrier or anything."  
  
"Dad, have you forgotten that we've been in England for almost three months and I still haven't figured out what 'loo' means?"  
  
My father laughed. "You'll catch on. Send me an owl when you get there so that I know you're okay."  
  
"Will do."  
  
I briefly hugged my father again and then got out of the car. I pulled my trunk out of the back seat and my fahter helped me hoist it up onto a cart.  
  
"Do you have Friday?" Dad asked.  
  
"Yeah," I replied. "See you soon."  
  
I watched him drive off and then made my way into the King's Cross Station.  
  
"Could you please let me out of this basket?" I heard a muffled voice say. "It's really quite suffocating."  
  
"Which platform is it?" I asked, ignoring Friday's request. I lookeed at my ticket. "Platform Nine and Three Quarters. That's odd... and yet expected."  
  
I pushed my way through the crowd to platforms nine and ten. Suddenly, I became aware that someone was yelling my name.  
  
"Chilly!" Cela came over to me, with Trill not too far behind."  
  
"Hey," I greeted. "How're you guys doing?"  
  
"I've been better," Trill said. "Going back to Hogwarts always makes me nervous."  
  
"Why?" I asked.  
  
"For some reason, every year You-Know-Who makes an appearance," Trill explained. "And for once, I actually believe that it's true."  
  
Cela rolled her eyes. "There's nothing to worry about, Trill."  
  
Trill's look on her face clearly said that she didn't believe her sister. She stared off into space, away from the looks of Cela.  
  
"Anyway, Chilly, I love what you've done to your hair," Cela said. "Love the pinkish-red. Normally you just do the tips, right?"  
  
"Yeah, but I decided to be brave enough to dye the whole thing, like you. So… how do we get to the platform?"  
  
"You mean you don't know?" Cela stared at me.  
  
"Yes, once again, I do not know," I said.  
  
"Well, all you have to do is go through the barrier of platforms nine and ten," Trill explained.  
  
"Really? That's it?" I shook my head. "That's obvious. Now why didn't I think of that?"  
  
"I'll go first," Trill said and pushed her cart towards the barrier. She gradually picked up speed and suddenly disappeared before she crashed into the barrier.  
  
"You next," Cela said and gave me an encouraging push on the back.  
  
I sighed and turned towards the barrier. After I made sure that everyone was out of my way, I ran towards the barrier at full speed.  
  
The next thing I saw was the train. It was huge and on the side, it said 'Hogwarts Express'. Many people were flocking around it still, even though we were about to leave.  
  
Cela and Trill appeared beside me. They both smiled and I knew that they were thinking of the same thing. They were happy to be going back, despite all of the dangers.  
  
"Come on, now," Cela said as she pushed towards the train. "Let's go find a compartment."  
  
Trill and I followed her towards the back of the train. We found an empty compartment and had some trouble trying to get our trunks in.  
  
"So, do you have any questions about Hogwarts before we get there?" questioned Cela. "We don't want you to be dumfounded when you get there like the first years are."  
  
I thought for a moment. "What are the houses of Hogwarts?"   
  
"Well, let's see… there's Slytherin," Cela said. "You don't want to get into Slytherin. Most of the Dark wizards came out of that house."  
  
"Plus, they're ugly, mean, stupid, evil…" Trill added.  
  
"Then there's Gryffindor," Cela said. "A lot of people say that's the best house to be in. They won the House Cup last year, after all. They are brave and courageous. There's Ravenclaw, who's full of mostly intellectuals, and Hufflepuff."  
  
"Hufflepuff students aren't exactly the sharpest tools in the shed," Trill said.  
  
"So, what House are you in?" I asked as I sat down.  
  
"We're in Ravenclaw," Cela replied proudly.   
  
"I would have preferred to be in Gryffindor," Trill said. "I would have been in Harry Potter's classes… that is until this year… I don't know what N.E.W.T. classes he's taking…"  
  
"Trill, you're not going to start that again, are you?" Cela rolled her eyes and groaned.  
  
"Do you two actually know him?" I asked.  
  
"Not really," Cela answered. "The most we know about him is that he really did escape the Dark Lord at least four times… and that he is a Seeker for the Gryffindor House… and he won the Triwizard competition two years ago. That's all I know."  
  
"Don't forget that he started that Dumbledore's Army last year!" Trill added.  
  
"What's 'Dumbledore's Army'?" I asked.  
  
"Long story," Trill replied. "The shortened version is that we had an awful Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher last year and Harry started the club so that we could learn defense the real way." She sighed. "What an awfully brave thing to do…"  
  
"Trill, if I didn't know better, I'd say that you fancy him," Cela said.  
  
Trill glared at her. "Don't you dare start with me again! I've told you a million times that I don't!"  
  
"Then how come you used get all mad and jealous whenever Cho Chang talked about him?"  
  
"I don't know!"  
  
"Who's Cho Chang?" I asked.  
  
"She's a friend of ours. You'll like her a lot," Cela said.   
  
"She and Harry have all of this juicy past history," Trill said with excitement. "I heard all about it mostly from Cho… actually from a friend who heard it from Cho… anyway they used to go out!"  
  
"Really?" I said with interest. "'The boy who lived' has a girlfriend?"  
  
"Had," Cela corrected. "It was basically over before it started. Don't tell Cho this, but she's way too sensitive for him."  
  
As if their burst of excitement faded away, they looked out the window and fell into a deep silent trance. They were lost deep in memory.  
  
"Come on, you two," I said, whipping out my wand. "Let's play a game of Exploding Snap."  
  
"I don't really feel like it." Trill sighed. "That game's getting old."  
  
I glared at them. Exploding Snap never gets old.  
  
"Come on," I said, pulling Trill up out of her seat. "Please?"  
  
"Only if Cela does," Trill insisted.  
  
"Cela?" I walked over to her and prepared to give her my puppy dog eye look.  
  
"If you even think about puppy dogging me, I swear I will hex you," Cela said bluntly.  
  
I frowned as Trill flopped back down into her seat. It was no use. I don't even want to think about what happened the last time Cela hexed me…  
  
I opened my messenger bag and pulled out my CD player. I knew very well that it was going to go haywire on me once we reached Hogwarts, but I decided to go ahead and use up the rest of its batteries before I throw it back into my trunk and forget about it for nine months.  
  
Loud music filled my ears and I closed my eyes. I let the lyrics be the only thing that I could think of.  
  
"Back off, I'll take you on… headstrong I'll take on anyone…" I sang softly.  
  
A loud knocking at the compartment door suddenly interrupted me. The door slid open and a smiling witch with a food cart stood there.  
  
"Would you girls like anything off the cart?" she asked us.  
  
I leapt up from my seat and dashed over to the cart. I grabbed some Every Flavor Beans, a stack of cauldron cakes, and a handful of chocolate frogs.  
  
Trill and Cela soon snapped out of their dream worlds and followed suit. I noticed as they sat there eating their large amounts of sugar, how happier they seemed to be.  
  
I opened my box of beans and popped one into my mouth. "Mmm. Grass. Do you guys want one?"  
  
"No thanks," Cela replied. "I'm allergic to strawberries, and I never know when I'll get that flavor."  
  
Trill shook her head. "I got a hot pepper flavored one once, and I've been scarred for life."  
  
"So, Chilly, what kind of classes are you taking?" Cela asked. "That is, if you have finally found a career field you're interested in."  
  
"Relax. I've finally decided on something," I assured. "I'm going to be a Magizoologist. So I'm taking Care for Magical Creatures… Herbology… Potions…"  
  
"Good luck with that," Trill said. "I hope you got an O on your OWLS."  
  
"I did."  
  
"Good, because Snape's doesn't accept any students who didn't get an O."  
  
"Really?" I frowned slightly. "Anyway, I'm also taking Defense Against the Dark Arts."  
  
"Why are you taking that for?" Cela questioned. "You don't need that to be a Magizoologist."  
  
"Trust me. It's a definite requirement. If you're going into any field at the Ministry, you need to take that course."   
  
"Are you taking Divination?" Trill said. "You should, because you've got a real gift with that whole Inner Eye thing."  
  
I sighed. "My father's making me take it. He wants me to 'expand my horizons using my gift' or something like that."  
  
The door slid open again as I was chucking beans at Trill. A boy with white blonde hair stood there with a smirk on his face. Standing next to him looked like two large gorillas, which were sharing the same smirk on their faces.  
  
"Has anyone seen Potter around?" Blondie asked us.  
  
"A guy with black hair and a scar on his forehead with the shape of a lightning bolt?" Cela asked.  
  
"Yeah, that's him," Blondie replied.  
  
"Nope. Can't say I have, Draco." Cela bit into her cauldron cake and smiled.  
  
"What about you?" he asked, turning towards me. "Hmm. I don't recall seeing you before. If I did, I'm certain I'd remember insulting you. You must be new."  
  
"Congratulations. You've guessed correctly," I said. "Cela, show him what he's won."  
  
He rolled his eyes. "I'm Draco Malfoy. These are my friends, Crabbe and Goyle. By the way, I run this place." His eyes looked me up and down with an expression I couldn't read.  
  
"Is that so?" I popped another bean into my mouth. "How interesting. By the way, do you know that you look like a James Marsters mini-me? No offense, but I think that he is the only guy on this earth who can pull off the fake blonde look."   
  
"You're messing with the wrong person, American." He stressed the syllables as if American was some curse in England.  
  
"My name is Chilly," I corrected.  
  
Draco snickered. "Chilly? That is your name? Only in America…"  
  
Cela lowered her eyes at him. "I wouldn't be talking, Draco."  
  
"Hey, Cela," Draco said as he turned to her. "That's your name, right? I like what you've done with your hair this year. It looks like a boogie I pulled out of my nose when I was five."  
  
"Gee, Draco. That's a brave thing to say, especially since not many people admit to picking their nose," I said.  
  
Draco frowned at me. He was apparently trying to cook up a clever comeback.  
  
"I suggest that you leave now, Draco." I stood up glared at him.   
  
Draco looked at me in the eyes and behind his I saw cold and darkness. "You're way out of your league here, Yank. This isn't laid back, anything goes America. This is MY world and I suggest that you stop living in your fantasy and come join reality."  
  
"What fantasy?" I asked.  
  
"Draco, can you do us all a favor and just leave?" Trill glared at him as evilly as she could.  
  
"That's alright," Draco said. "It's not like I want to hang around with twin Mudbloods and a Yank with P.M.S."  
  
I felt a slight prickly feeling in my fingers as I cracked my knuckles. "Say that again. I dare you."  
  
"You're filthy, disgusting Mudbloods," Draco said, staring at Trill and Cela with intense loathing.  
  
A sudden rush came over me and it almost felt as if I had lost control of my body completely, and some different Chilly emerged.  
  
Without warning, I lunged at him and punched him in the nose.  
  
"Bloody hell!" Draco cried as he covered his nose with his hands. "Why did you go and do that for?"  
  
"You'd better leave Draco," Cela said as she held me back from punching Draco some more.  
  
Draco snapped his fingers for his bodyguards. They helped him up and left with him.  
  
"Let me go! I want to rip out that fake hair of his!" I yelled as I struggled against Cela's grip.  
  
"It's not worth it," Trill assured as she came over to us. "Just let it go, Chilly. He says that to everyone."  
  
"I can't just let it go!" I said. I began panting and the room around me began to spin.  
  
"Chilly? Are you okay? Your eyes are all bloodshot," Trill said as she examined me.  
  
"Just give her room to cool down and she'll be all right," Cela said. "Really, though. I can't believe he would say that. That is the vilest thing you can say. Of course, he is the most vile creature on the planet."  
  
"When you start going off about his hair, that's what gets him," Trill explained. "I did that once and the next morning, I had spiders crawling all over my pillow."  
  
The room stopped spinning and my breathing slowed down. "I think I'm okay now."  
  
"Good. Now hurry up and change into your robes. We're nearly there," Cela said.  
  
I pulled my robes over my head and made sure that they were on the right way. I often had a habit of putting them on backwards out of nervousness.  
  
"Is he always this bad?" I asked Cela.  
  
"Pretty much. I swear the day he says something nice is a sure sign of the Apocalypse," Cela replied.  
  
"My mother always told me to see the good in people," I said, "but when I look at him, I don't sense any good in him at all."  
  
"Nothing?" Trill questioned. "Not even the tiniest sliver of good?"  
  
"Nope. All I feel is cold, as cold as his eyes are blue."  
  
The train slowed to a stop. Trill, Cela, and I headed out of our compartment and followed some other students out of the train.  
  
It was drizzling outside and the sky was hidden with dark cumulonimbus clouds. I shivered and pulled my robes around me to keep warm. The platform was crowded, but there wasn't enough body heat to take the cold out of the air around me.  
  
I pulled out my letter from my pocket.  
  
"Go along with the first years," I read. "I will sort you along with them."  
  
"Are you nervous?" Trill nervous.  
  
"A little," I said. "Just worried that people are going to think I'm a first year if I get sorted with them."  
  
"You'll be fine," Cela assured.  
  
"Anyway, what do you do to get sorted?" I asked.  
  
"You have to take a test," Trill explained. "It's really hard and then you have to duel one of the professors to test if you are worthy of entrance and then…"  
  
Seeing the slightly worried look on my face, Cela immediately stepped in. "Oh, shut up Trill. Chilly, all they're going to do is stick a hat on your head."  
  
I sighed in relief. Although I didn't believe a word of what Trill said, it still made me worried.  
  
"Wait, did you say they're going to stick a hat on my head?"  
  
"Firs' years! Firs' years, over here!" a booming voice called.  
  
"Well, there's your signal," Cela said.  
  
"Are you hoping for me to get into Ravenclaw or Gryffindor?" I asked.  
  
"I vote indecisive," Trill said.  
  
"Ditto," Cela added.  
  
I waved good-bye to them and then headed over to where I heard the booming voice coming from. I lost my sense of direction, and then I realized all I had to do was follow the short people… I mean slightly shorter people.  
  
They were climbing into small rowboats by the time I caught up with them. I sighed and stepped into a random boat.  
  
I looked over to my right and nearly screamed. I didn't expect to see a giant of a man sitting there, holding a pink umbrella. His beard was shaggy and he had beetle black eyes. As soon as I saw the warmth in those eyes of his, I knew that I could trust him.  
  
"Yeh look a little old ter be a firs' year," he suddenly said to me.  
  
I nearly jumped out of the boat when I heard that booming voice directed at me. "I'm not. I'm a transfer student in the sixth year, thank you very much," I explained. "I bring greetings from America, hoping that you will accept me as one of your people."  
  
He chuckled slightly. "My name is Rubeus Hagrid, but me friends call me Hagrid."  
  
"I'm Chilly," I said. "And no, that's not a nickname. That's my real name."  
  
"No problem with that." He cleared his throat and pointed his umbrella. "FORWARD!"  
  
To my surprise, the boats started moving on their own across the black lake. I put my fingers into the cold water as we rolled along. The boats moved across the water as if it were glass.  
  
"I say this calls for a song!" shouted a tiny first year. "Merrily we roll along, roll along, roll along… All together!"  
  
Soon, the lake was alive with the chirping of small voices, all miraculously singing in tune.  
  
I stared at them blankly, trying to decide on whether I should put up with their liveliness, or throw myself into the lake.  
  
"Merrily we roll along, roll along, roll along... Merrily we roll along, o'er the deep blue sea..."  
  
I was just glad that Hagrid didn't join in with the singing. If he had, I wouldn't have to throw myself into the lake. With his booming voice, it would vibrate my boat and I'd fall out.  
  
We finally reached a small dock maybe somewhere under the school. I was relieved that the singing finally stopped. It looked like the first years were now cowering with nervousness. This made me happy.  
  
A stern woman with her hair pulled back tight into a bun was waiting for us at the dock. Her robes were a deep green and she had large glasses that hid most of her thin face. This did not look like a woman with a sense of humor. Maybe that's why the first years suddenly shut up.  
  
"Welcome to the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," she said in a proper British accent. "Thank you, Hagrid."  
  
"It's a pleasure," he said as he walked up a flight of stairs.  
  
"I am Professor McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress," she went on. "I'll be leading you to the Great Hall, where you will be sorted. Please follow me."  
  
I trailed on behind the group as we went up the flight of stairs. The first thing I noticed as Professor McGonagall led us to the Great Hall was how many paintings this school had.  
  
Many subjects stared at you as you walked by them, and others hid from you. I noticed that a couple of subjects were leaving their own paintings and reappearing in another one, as if they were trying to follow us. They weren't very good at being secretive about it.  
  
The next thing I noticed were the suits of armor. They were old and medieval looking and most of them held axes or swords. A couple of them held maces. As we were walking along, I thought I saw a head of one suit of armor turn in my direction.  
  
I stopped dead in my tracks and stared at it. Suits of armor don't move by themselves. Of course, how would I know? At my school in the States, we didn't have suits of armor.  
  
I walked over to the suit of armor and examined it. It looked stiff to me. I knocked on its chest piece and was satisfied when I heard an echo.  
  
"Okay," I said to myself. "No worries."  
  
I turned back to the group and my eyes widened. They were already gone.  
  
How could this happen? I only turned around for a split second! I shook my head at myself. Way to go, Chilly. You've gotten yourself lost in a completely unfamiliar school and you're going to miss your sorting.   
  
My eyes searched the corridor to see if there was any sign of where they went. It was no use. There were at least three other doors besides the one I came through, and I didn't want to take the chance of them leading me further away from the Great Hall.  
  
"Great," I said as I flung my arms in the air. "What am I going to do?" 


	4. Chapter 4

I began pacing back and forth around the corridor. Let's see... my options were either to pick a door at random or stay hear and wait for someone to notice I'm gone and come get me. Maybe I could ask a painting for help. No... this corridor only has landscapes in it.  
"When in doubt, try the never failing method." I shut my eyes and spun around in a circle with one arm outstretched. When I stopped spinning, I was facing a rather dull looking door.  
"Okay. Let's see what's behind door number two," I said as I opened the door.  
The door led me into a long hallway, decorated with a long rug and scattered paintings.  
"Off we go." I sighed and walked quickly down the hallway.  
As I hurried along, I swear I heard laughing behind me.  
Ignore it. Just ignore it...I thought.  
The laughing increased steadily as I broke into a run.  
"All right, who's there?" I asked.  
I heard a loud cackle and suddenly, someone materialized in front of me. It was a small figure wearing loud yellow pants and green slippers. "I should've known," I said as I shook my head. "A poltergeist."  
"Ooh, I've never seen you around here before," he said in a high- pitched voice. "Does little witchy want to play with Peeves?"  
"I am not so little!" I exclaimed. "Now could you please let me go? I have a sorting to get to."  
"Not until you play with Peeves!" he replied. He laughed and waved his hands. Several water balloons appeared around him.  
My eyes widened. "Oh no you don't!"  
He smiled deviously and raised his hands. "Time to play!"  
I threw my arms over my head as he lowered his hands. Cold water splashed over me and I felt the chill to my very bones. I pulled a piece of rubber off my face as I stared evilly up at the annoying poltergeist.  
"I'm done playing," I said as I felt a surge inside my body. "I've been meaning to let this out since the train."  
I whipped out my wand and pointed it at the poltergeist. "STUPEFY!"  
Static electricity surged through the air with a loud cracking sound and a bright light that shot from my wand nearly blinded me. As soon as I heard the poltergeist hit the floor, I began to run. I had to get to the Great Hall. I couldn't miss my sorting!  
"Faster, faster!" I screamed at my legs as I ran along.  
I ran up a flight of stairs and emerged in another corridor. It was large and I guessed that it had to be the Entrance Hall. There were hourglasses that showed the amount of House Points each House had and a large staircase in the center. I recognized them because we had the same system back at my old school.  
I smiled as I noticed a pair of large double doors to my right.  
"Intuition, don't fail me now." I headed towards the door on my left and yanked at it.  
I finally pulled open the doors and faced a large number of faces that were all staring at me. It seems that I had actually made it to the Great hall.  
I pulled a piece of rubber out of my hair and smiled sheepishly. They continued their gaze. I must look like an idiot, with my pink hair sticking to my face. So much for my plan of sneaking in quietly.  
My cheeks turned crimson as I looked around the Great Hall. Many floating candles illuminated the faces of the students and professors and the ceiling resembled the dark sky outside.  
I saw Professor McGonagall standing at the end of the hall, holding a scroll. A rather troubled looking first year sat on a stool with an old hat on his head. It fell below his eyes and then I felt like I wasn't the only stupid looking person in the hall.  
Some students turned away, while others remained staring. The hall was as silent as a graveyard. They were all waiting to see who this strange pink-haired short person was.  
I made my way between the tables and to Professor McGonagall. She was looking shocked and rather stern and I was afraid that she was going to yell at me in front of the entire hall. What a wonderful way to begin my year.  
"Hi," I greeted as I looked around. "Uh. I'm late, aren't I?"  
She nodded and her lips remained pursed.  
"RAVENCLAW!" yelled the hat on the first year's head.  
I nearly jumped as I stared at it. Did it just talk?  
Finally, to break the silence, people from one of the tables started cheering as the first year walked over to them proudly.  
"Ladies and gentlemen, our transfer student, Chilly Richardson, has finally decided to join us," McGonagall said loudly after the Ravenclaw table stopped cheering.  
My cheeks became hot. "What am I supposed to do?"  
She pointed to the stool. "Sit."  
I nodded and walked slowly over to the stool. I sat down and placed the hat onto my head. The hat did not cover my eyes, allowing me to see the whole hall staring at me.  
"Well, hello, there," the hat said to me. "A little late, aren't you?"  
Sorry, I thought. Wait. did you just talk to me?  
"So, let's take a look inside. hmm. I see strength. power; yes. lots of power. ah; yes, you have a little trouble controlling that power, don't you? No matter. what else is here.Trust, honesty, and a thirst for revenge. Standing up for yourself is good."  
If I don't, who else will?  
"Where to put you. how about Slytherin?"  
Slytherin? SLYTHERIN?! Don't even go there! If you put me in that house, I will sew your big mouth and, your stupid eyes shut with ugly green thread, and you will never sort another student again! Am I really that evil that I deserve to be placed in a House like Slytherin? It's because I'm American is it? Oh yes, Americans and their evil ideas about football and fast food-  
"How about. Gryffindor, then?"  
Gryffindor? Well I-  
"GRYFFINDOR!"  
At first, the applause was hesitant, but it gradually became louder as I approached them. It was nice for them to cheer for me, although they couldn't be thinking highly of me. I was late, soaked, and horrible looking.  
I sat down next to a girl with bushy hair, regretting not saying 'no' before the hat screamed "GRYFFINDOR!"  
"Now that the sorting has ended, I have a few announcements to make before we begin the feast," I heard a raspy voice say.  
Professor Dumbledore was standing up at the table at the end of the hall. He wore blue robes with star and moon designs. His long hair and beard were a silvery gray and he reminded me of Merlin. His eyes looked at every one of our faces and he wore a faint smile.  
"As all students know, the Forbidden Forest is out of bounds. Our caretaker, Mr. Filch, has decided to slightly increase the punishment for students out of bed. Get caught out of bed for more details," Dumbledore went on. "I also hope that you will all welcome our new Defense against the Dark Arts teacher, Vladimir Constantine!"  
A tall man stood up at the end Dumbledore's table. He had pale skin and dark black hair that covered his eyes. He smiled slightly and sat back down. I heard faint giggles from several girls at my table.  
"Let the feast begin!"  
Suddenly, the golden plates on the tables filled with food. I smiled in glee and grabbed a drumstick off the nearest turkey.  
"So you're American?" the round-faced boy sitting next to me asked.  
"Yep," I replied.  
"Not to be rude or anything. but do all Americans look like you?"  
"Not exactly."  
"Okay. Just wondering." He turned back to his friends and stuffed a biscuit in his mouth. For the remainder of the feast, I shoved food into my mouth and listened to the conversations of others around me. I did not intend to join in with them and I doubted that they would want to talk to me anyway. They actually looked as if they were willing to talk to me. I must have scared them off with my appearance.  
"So anyway," I heard the boy next to me say, "I heard that Draco Malfoy was punched out by a girl on the train!"  
"Really? Do you know who?" asked a redheaded girl.  
"Nope," he replied. "But I did hear that there was blood all the way down the hallway of the train!"  
I decided not to join in and tell them that I had lost my temper and punched out the person nearest to me. Something told me not to.  
I looked around the hall for the table that Cela and Trill sat at. When I finally found them, I attempted to get their attention. They were too busy chatting away with other people to notice me. My smile fell and I sighed. I was going to be extremely lonely this year. Curse my father for thinking this would be good for me.  
My appetite soon left me and I sighed as I looked at my plate. I had never felt so alone before. I guess I deserved it for what I did.  
But why did I have to keep going on that subject? That wasn't the reason why we left America. It couldn't be.  
But what if it is? I thought.  
The feast was soon over and it seemed that everyone was having a hard time trying to get up and leave. Many of the students were beginning to get tired and I decided that I should leave, too.  
I became slightly worried at the fact that I didn't know how to get to my dormitory. I bit my lip as I frantically searched for someone I had seen at my table.  
My eyes caught sight of a girl with bushy brown hair who was busy talking to a tall redheaded boy. I realized that I had been sitting next to her during the feast. I got up from the table and followed her out of the hall.  
The Entrance Hall was crowded with students that were trying to find the prefects, who would probably lead them to their dormitories. All I had to do was find out where exactly the Gryffindors were.  
I spotted the bushy haired girl and pushed through the crowd to where she was. I found myself standing in a group with several other students.  
"All right," the bushy haired girl said. I then noticed a small badge on her robes and I realized that she was a prefect. "It's about time that we head to Gryffindor Tower. Let's go."  
We followed the prefect out of the hall and to a large staircase.  
As we walked up a staircase (occasionally pausing so that the staircase could assemble itself), I noticed that quite a few paintings that were watching me. I remembered how at my old school, Chris used to make faces at paintings that would stare at us. I heard the sound of his laughter in my head as I told him to stop. "What are they going to do? Jump out of their portraits and strangle me?" he had replied.  
I felt slightly uneasy as we walked down a hallway that was lined with suits of armor. The old feeling of being watched by shrouded eyes returned and I grabbed my wand for comfort.  
"Here we are," I heard the prefect say as we came up yet another flight of stairs.  
We were facing a rather large portrait of a lady in a large pink dress.  
"Password?" she asked.  
"Flibbertigibbet," the prefect said.  
The portrait swung to the side, revealing a small hole. We climbed in, one at a time, as instructed by the bushy prefect.  
"Nice," I commented as I looked around.  
We were in the Gryffindor common room. It had many large red armchairs by a fireplace and a large rug on the ground that portrayed a lion. The ceiling was high up and many paintings decorated the walls. Desks and tables were scattered around the room and a notice board hung next to two staircases.  
My eyes searched around the room and I saw that the girls were heading up one of the staircases. I decided to follow them, in hopes of finding my dormitory. I kept walking until I saw a sign that said "Gryffindor Sixth Years."  
I opened the door slowly and smiled. The room was large and had many canopy beds. There were a few windows and a large blue rug on the ground. Candles hung on the walls and some were also placed on nightstands. There were several wardrobes and my things had already been brought up. I assumed that my bed was the one by the window, because my cat was lying on the pillow.  
"Hello, Friday," I cooed as I scooped him up. He purred contently in my arms.  
I looked around the dormitory. No one else was here yet. Either that or they went downstairs to hang out in the common room.  
"Looks like it's just you and me," I said as I sat down on my bed.  
"What took you so long?" Friday asked.  
"Remember that it was a feast and they generally take a long time because people stuff themselves until they have to cut themselves out of their pants," I replied. "You must have been bored, staring off into space the whole time."  
"For your information, I do much more than that. I lick myself and sometimes I sleep or stalk birds from the bed."  
I stood up and opened my trunk.  
"What are you doing?" Friday questioned.  
"Making my little corner of the room more homey," I replied as I placed an Orlando Bloom poster on the wall above my nightstand.  
I then put up a Destiny's Child poster on the wall adjacent to the window. Since I was near the window, I had more wall space. I also placed a large smiley face poster on the wall behind my bed. Then I posted several of my manga drawings on the wall.  
I stood back to admire my work. "That's much better."  
A few minutes later, after I had changed into an oversized tee shirt and teddy bear shorts, several other girls joined me. They were talking loudly and I was surprised that they had this much energy at this time at night.  
"Who're you?" one of them asked me. The talking suddenly stopped.  
"Chilly," I replied as I put down my cat.  
"Oh, the Yank," another said. "I didn't know you were in our year."  
"That's a strange name, though," said the first. "Then again, American names are rather strange."  
"Don't even get me started on your name, Parvati," another girl said.  
"What's wrong with Parvati, Lavender?"  
I didn't care much about the fact people kept on making remarks about my name. The only thing I would care about would be if one of those girls tries to take down any of my posters.  
"So. America. what's that like?" Lavender asked me as she fished through her trunk.  
"Lots of pollution."  
"Yeah, I figured," Lavender replied. "You'll probably enjoy the good ol' British countryside. It's a change from those cramped cities of yours."  
I sighed and sat down on my bed. "It's not all that bad. I mean, there are plenty of other places besides just cities. Like the beach and prairies."  
"You have a point there," Parvati said as she turned down her covers.  
  
The bushy-haired girl came over to me and smiled in greeting.  
"That's an adorable cat," she said.  
"Thanks," I responded. "His name is Friday."  
"I have one of my own," she went on. "His name is Crookshanks. He is sitting over there on my bed."  
She gestured to a large yellow fluff ball that was burying itself in her pillows. I stared at it and couldn't decide whether it was really a cat or a small tiger.  
"By the way, I'm Hermione Granger." She scratched Friday's head. "I'm one of the prefects for Gryffindor. The other is Ron Weasley. you'll meet him later. Anyway, I was wondering if it was you who." I sighed. "You heard about me punching Draco out, didn't you?"  
"Yes!" she exclaimed. "When I heard that someone finally taught him a lesson, I nearly jumped out of my seat and screamed! I slapped him once, but I do not think that I really got to him... My friend, Ron, has been talking about it since dinner. Apparently, he's quite upset that he wasn't the one to do it. I admit, it is nice to see him happy about something again.but I also must say that you broke rule ten in the student's handbook. I must also-"  
"There's a student handbook?" I interrupted.  
"Oh, yes. It just came out this year." She pointed to a large manual that was sitting on her bed. "I'm nearly through the last chapter. You can borrow it when I'm done, if you want."  
"That's okay," I insisted. "I don't think I'll be needing it."  
Hermione shrugged. "Suit yourself." She turned and walked over to her bed and pulled the curtains around her.  
I did the same and I blew out the candle next to my bed. I snuggled deep into my many blankets and pulled Friday close.  
"Good night," I whispered.  
Then sleep took me. 


End file.
